Bettencourt wins Raynham sewer commissioner post by landslide

RAYNHAM — The turnout for Raynham’s town election on Saturday might have been miniscule, but the challenger in the town’s sole contested race won by a landslide.

Joseph A. Bettencourt handily defeated incumbent Frank Cabral Jr. for the position of sewer commissioner — with Bettencourt besting Cabral 341 to 150, according to unofficial results released just before 9:30 p.m.

Cabral, who was not at Town Hall waiting for the voting results, previously criticized Bettencourt for running a campaign based on politics as opposed to qualifications.

After learning of his victory, Bettencourt said that statement was the one thing which he found objectionable leading up to election night.

“I hope (the voters) felt I was the most qualified,” Bettencourt said.

Voters also approved by a 276 to 100 margin a ballot initiative for a $2.5 million debt exclusion from the state’s Proposition 2½ tax-levy limit, to complete the last phase of a $9 million sewer line improvement project.

Final approval of the debt exclusion measure will be decided by residents in a Town Hall vote on May 19.

All other town positions on the ballot this year were uncontested.

Among those winners were Marie A. Smith for selectman; James Sullivan for parks and recreation commissioner; John Leddy for assessor; Michelle LeBlanc Williams as Bridgewater member of Bridgewater-Raynham Regional District School Committee; Lorraine Levy as Raynham member of B-R’s school committee; Russell Driscoll, Planning Board; and Jeffrey Kelleher as cemetery commissioner.

The 497 voters who turned out to cast votes at Raynham Middle School represented just five percent of the town’s registered electorate.